Stretch Snaps Up Plus-Size Sales - stretch fabrics popular with plus-sizes

DSN Retailing Today,  April 2, 2001  

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Stretch is expanding plus-size sales. Apparel constructed with stretch fabrics is driving increases, mimicking the popularity of stretch in conventionally sized women's wear. The new "tech" stretch fabrics are not to be mistaken with the figure-hugging fabrics of the past.

Flexible materials are important in a broad range of merchandise from casual-wear and denim to career separates--one of the fastest-growing areas of plus.

"Stretch is a big part of things for comfort; it's not a trend but a revolution, and women are demanding it," says Kathy Ireland, chairwoman and ceo of Kathy Ireland Worldwide. "It's part of plus, in clothes that are casual but double as career attire."

In a move to further entrench its plus-size positioning, Kmart introduced large sizes in its Kathy Ireland and Jaclyn Smith lines this spring. Career separates, including pieces designed with new stretch fabrics, are intrinsic parts of the new collections.

The Kathie Lee line at Wal-Mart also includes separates in stretch knits that work as office attire.

Work-appropriate items, this year featuring stretch fabrics, are part of the plus assortment at Sears as well, under its Apostrophe label. "Career looks in plus are strong," notes Diane Paccione, vice president and general merchandise manager of sportswear for Sears. "Woven suiting and knit dressings are doing well into 2001."

Office-ready separates of all makes are important at a variety of retail channels, but stretch remains the star of the showroom--and on the floor.

"Careerwear is growing faster for us in relation to overall business in stretch tech," notes Chris Hansen, executive vice president of marketing for Lane Bryant. "It can be less formal or look like real suiting. Tech-woven suiting separates will account for more and more of the business."

These stretch wovens, part of Lane Bryant's Elemental Stretch collection, were extremely popular throughout 2000. They are planned up for this fall in new patterns, including pinstripes and glen plaid. Stretch is also bound for career separates at Lands' End this year.

"We have many new products, such as stretch fabrications in shirts and tailored careerwear," says Pam Saving, Lands' End quality assurance fit specialist. "Market research conducted by Lands' End indicated the plus-size woman wants the same classic sportswear in terms of styling, quality and fabrication that we offer in regular sizes."

Lands' End's plus line, like many in the marketplace, has additional traditional features to enhance fit, like partial elastic waistbands, as well as long or tunic length tops and longer short sleeves that provide additional coverage.

Classic plus-size garments with flattering details still remain strong. For this reason, tunic tops--in fleece dressed up with contrasting velvet trim--were bestsellers for Just My Size last holiday and have been revamped for 2001.

Dresses are also still important. "A-line dresses are flattering and always do well, and plus-size customers like two or three-piece sets in slinky stretch knit material," says David Swiger, owner of Plus Size Outlet, a Birmingham, Ala.-based off-price chain and e-tailer.

Flexible fabrics are also popular at Target, where office-appropriate flowing polyester knit coordinates under the Mossimo label have been sold out on its Web site.

And stretch isn't only impacting dress-wear. Jeans makers and their retail customers are embracing denim with give. "Our five-pocket jeans with stretch were a big story last fall; our biggest push, overall for 2001 has been stretch," notes Karen Fitzgerald, merchandiser for Just My Size. The company has had such success with this denim at Wal-Mart and elsewhere that it will only produce stretch jeans from 2001 onward.

VF Jeanswear is adding a higher percentage of stretch to models in its Riders line, and is shipping stretch denim to ShopKo for the first time with a big push at Backto-School.

Yet stretch may not be for everyone. Riders tested stretch at Meijer in 2000 without great success, but it nevertheless has faith in it as a growing area.

"At Meijer, we didn't sell well in stretch. Maybe it was too early, and there wasn't enough consumer awareness that this new stretch doesn't look girdle-like," notes Seena Cox, merchandiser for VF's Riders division. "Stretch makes a comfortable lightweight 10 oz. stronger; it has give, and the customer is ready for it in 2001."

Another VF division, Chic, is adding stretch in a more conventional way with elastic waists. This feature is prompting Chic's plus-size business to grow at a faster rate than its misses collection, notes Holly Woodroof, Chic merchandiser.

Hansen calls the jeans business "very significant" at Lane Bryant, with its Venezia line coming out with a low-rise "bikini" stretch boot-cut jean in late July.

"Our stretch jeans and regular five-pocket jeans decorated with rhinestones and studs sell out immediately," she adds. "We knew from the start jeans would be a top category for us because of the importance of fit."